The National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) is in need of more than a few good farmers to complete a 2018 Confidential Crop Survey.
It’s about time for Southern farmers to expect the 2018 Confidential Crop Survey from the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) in their mailboxes, according to a Southeast AgNet article. Those in the ag industry are encouraged to fill out these important surveys, especially since the article maintains participation is decreasing. Explore the survey below, find out why it’s so important to complete, and make sure to complete your own.
About the Confidential Crop Survey
According to the article,
“The number of farmers completing the confidential NASS crop survey has been declining in recent years—and that’s bad news for farmers. This is bad news for farmers as results of the confidential NASS crop survey play a key role in determining the implementation of farm payments and programs, including the Agriculture Risk Coverage Program (county option), Price Loss Coverage Program and even farm appraisals.
If NASS does not receive an adequate number of farmer-completed surveys from a certain county, it must use other less reliable sources of data to calculate actual production in that county. The downward trend in farmer-completed surveys has led to the inability of NASS to publish reliable data in numerous counties across the country. If this continues, NASS may not be able to publish this data for many counties at all.
For example, county-specific yield data is the basis for the ARC program yield guarantee calculations. If there are not enough completed surveys, farmers in your county may receive payments less than the amount that should be delivered.
Farm programs and payments are too important to rely on third-party sources and best guesses. That’s why it’s so very important that farmers provide their information. This is about farmers’ bottom lines. By taking the time to complete the confidential NASS crop survey, growers can play an active role in ensuring fair implementation of farm programs in their counties.
Please complete the confidential NASS crop survey. Help make sure that farm programs are fair—because the facts are coming from real farmers, just like you.”
Griffin Fertilizer is committed to helping both growers and ranchers make sound agronomic and economic decisions in order to maximize the health of their grove and pasture. As a full-service custom dry & liquid fertilizer blender and crop protection product distributor, we will continue our mission to further advance Florida agriculture. For questions or concerns about your farm or pasture, contact us and one of our team will be in touch.